Warning graphic-Can you help identify what may have killed my hen please.

[Mindy777]

Hello all. I wanted to post a couple graphic necropsy pictures of my 3 yr old Leghorn hen that we lost today. She has not been doing well for the last month,off and on. The last week she started to go downhill even worse, not able to stand or walk. We kept food and water near her and she kept a good appetite, carried her out to the yard so she could get sunshine. When it first started I thought perhaps she’s egg bound or something and brought her in and soaked her but all I felt was a bloated abdomen. Since it was cold we kept her in until she dried and for quite awhile she perked up and acted like her old self. She also had not laid an egg since late summer, she was my only white egg laying hen. When I punctured her for the necropsy a fountain of yellow tinged fluid came out....poor girl....she had been so bloated....The pictures are what I found, I’ve never done an necropsy so I can only assume that the little growths on the intestines are not normal. If anyone has any idea Of what this could have been I would be grateful. Thank you.

 

[micstrachan]

I’m so sorry about your hen. Good job trying a necropsy. Did you take photos of more organs? In particular, I’m curious about the liver. Was the yellow tinged fluid clear or cloudy?

 

[Mindy777]

I’m so sorry about your hen. Good job trying a necropsy. Did you take photos of more organs? In particular, I’m curious about the liver. Was the yellow tinged fluid clear or cloudy?

The fluid was clear and I saw the liver but did not get a picture...( I have to admit I have a weak stomach and couldn’t eat my dinner after this) There weren’t any abnormal growths that I could see on the liver and the color was reddish blue with some yellow....for some reason my thought upon seeing it was, “that’s colorful” I wish I could have been able to finish or go further but I just wasn’t able to. Thank you for your help, I do appreciate it.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry for your loss. Your hen had ascites from the yellow fluid that came out of the abdomen when you opened it. Liver failure, the reason for ascites, can be a secondary problem with internal laying and cancer. It also looks like she has cancer from the little bumps. Oviduct cancer is very common, but it could have been in another organ or a viral type of cancer. The liver may have been diseased from the cancer, internal laying or another cause. Thank you for posting the necropsy pictures. I am not an expert on necropsies, and I may be wrong about what I am seeing.

 

[Mindy777]

So sorry for your loss. Your hen had ascites from the yellow fluid that came out of the abdomen when you opened it. Liver failure, the reason for ascites, can be a secondary problem with internal laying and cancer. It also looks like she has cancer from the little bumps. Oviduct cancer is very common, but it could have been in another organ or a viral type of cancer. The liver may have been diseased from the cancer, internal laying or another cause. Thank you for posting the necropsy pictures. I am not an expert on necropsies, and I may be wrong about what I am seeing.

Thank you so much for your time, I appreciate it.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully others with necropsy experience will chime in, because I may be wrong.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello all. I wanted to post a couple graphic necropsy pictures of my 3 yr old Leghorn hen that we lost today. She has not been doing well for the last month,off and on. The last week she started to go downhill even worse, not able to stand or walk. We kept food and water near her and she kept a good appetite, carried her out to the yard so she could get sunshine. When it first started I thought perhaps she’s egg bound or something and brought her in and soaked her but all I felt was a bloated abdomen. Since it was cold we kept her in until she dried and for quite awhile she perked up and acted like her old self. She also had not laid an egg since late summer, she was my only white egg laying hen. When I punctured her for the necropsy a fountain of yellow tinged fluid came out....poor girl....she had been so bloated....The pictures are what I found, I’ve never done an necropsy so I can only assume that the little growths on the intestines are not normal. If anyone has any idea Of what this could have been I would be grateful. Thank you.View attachment 1683734View attachment 1683735

I'm sorry for your loss

I know it must have been hard, but good for you for being able to take a look. Your sweet girl was very ill, so you did all you could for her.

I agree the fluid that came out was due to Ascites. The bumps look like cancer or cysts to me as well.
You may find the chart in post #1 of this thread interesting. Sadly, cancer and reproductive problems are common in laying hens.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...omas-in-laying-hens-graphic-pictures.1064118/

 

[casportpony]

I am very sorry for your loss. I agree with the other posters, it looks like it was cancer and ascites.

 

[Eggcessive]

I just wanted to post one of the pictures of links that WP posted. Click on the page to enlarge.

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I am so sorry for your loss! Bear hugs!